I’m a pretty handy person.  I’m also one for launching into a new task without necessarily considering how it will end.  Some days this is a problem – turning what was supposed to be an easy chore into an all-day or all-week ordeal – and, the worst part, leading to spousal ridicule.  Last Sunday, on the other hand, was a good day – although I did not avoid the ridicule.

It was a two-chore day.  I was able to dismantle and repair a kitchen cabinet drawer that had become non-functional – a large drawer filled with heavy kitchen bakeware had derailed.  Miraculously, the repair required only a single trip to Home Depot – they had the part and I was able to make the fix.

The other chore was a bit more unconventional.  We are planning to be away for a long weekend and do not have anyone handy to water our Christmas tree.  For a person as into Christmas as I am, it will not do to have a live tree become a deadly dried out fire hazard this early in the Yule season.  A tree should not double as a yule log.  Thus, I needed a solution.

Intuitively I knew that I could set up a watering system with a larger adjacent basin and siphon.  I even validated that intuition with some modest internet research.  Turns out there is a wealth of knowledge on this point – people attaching hoses to the side drains of coolers – people setting up watering systems with basins disguised as Christmas presents.  The theory of this latter system is to allow for ease of watering throughout the entire holiday season.  I only needed the temporary system, but needed to test it out before trusting it for a long weekend.

Thus, Sunday was my test day.  I used a large Rubbermaid™ storage bin and a length of clear flexible plastic tubing.  I guess I’m not suited to a life of crime because it was ridiculously difficult to get the siphon established.  In retrospect, perhaps a narrower diameter hose would have been better.  I also would not recommend attempting this with one’s spouse sitting nearby.  Not only was she no help, but her laughter was downright counterproductive.   I don’t think she would laugh quite so hard if our tree and house were to go up in flames.  The price to be paid by the innovator.

By the way, the system works.